1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to jewelry chains and more particularly jewelry chains formed with multiple links secured together.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
There are numerous types of jewelry chains requiring the interconnection of links with the links thereafter being secured together. Such chains can be formed into necklaces, bracelets or other parts of jewelry. One such typical chain is the well known rope chain. With rope chains, the links are interconnected in groups and the groups are held in place by typically two wires that are wrapped around the valleys of the double helix configuration which is formed by the interconnected links. The wires hold the links in place. Thereafter the links are soldered together in selected fashion, such as soldering alternating links together. The wires are then removed and the links remain secured. The links then provide a continuous interconnected chain which is generally flexible. Such typical chain is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,517. Other arrangements of the links are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,135. The entire contents of these patents are herein incorporated by reference. Other types of chains that are formed by interconnecting links and securing the links together are chains known as the Prima Donna Chain, Forsetina Chain, Curb Chain, Karo Chain, Byzantine Chain, Rollo Chain, Snapper Chain, or Russian Chain.
While typically such links are formed by using simple wire, it is suggested in U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/598,996, the entire content of which is herein incorporated by reference, that an initial chain be used as a “wire” to form a final chain. The method disclosed in this provisional application, by way of example, utilizes the following steps:
1. Forming a plurality of individual links 10, 12, 14 and 16, as shown in FIG. 1, using any known method which may include winding wire on a mandrel and cutting the links individually or stamping the links.
2. Interconnecting the individual links, which are not secured to one another yet, to form an initial group 18 using standard weaving techniques, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 2.
3. Wrapping iron wires 20, 22 around the double helix grooves formed by the interconnected links, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
4. Securing the interconnected links to one another by soldering every other link or other various forms of selected links at fusion points 24, thereby providing the initial actual rope chain.
5. Removing the iron wires from the initial actual rope chain, thereby completing the initial rope chain in its final form. Occasionally, the irons may not be removed. However, even if the irons are not removed, the rope chain has been completed in its final form.
6. Utilizing the initial rope chain (generally without the iron wires) to form the new jewelry chain. In the case of forming a new rope chain, the initial rope chain would now be wrapped around a mandrel. The particular mandrel can have any shape depending upon the shape of the new links that are desired to be formed. For example, a round mandrel will result in annular links; a square mandrel will result in square links.
Once the initial rope chain in its finished form is wrapped around the mandrel, since the rope chain is typically flexible, it must be set in order to retain the shape of the mandrel. As a result, usually additional solder is poured on at this point and heated to fix the shape of the wound rope chain on the mandrel to conform it to the shape of the mandrel.
7. Thereafter, cutting the wound spiral rope chain in the shape of the mandrel into individual links and assembling individual links into whatever final chain is being formed including a new rope chain or any of the previous mentioned chains.
A need, therefore, exists for a more efficient and, thus, improved method of forming a chain.